Sleep Efficiency May Predict Survival of Advanced Breast Cancer Patients

As previous studies have shown just how critical a role sleep plays in overall health, recent research conducted by scientists at Stanford University closely examines sleep and its role in the survival of women with advanced breast cancer.

For the study, researchers examined 97 women with advanced cancer at a mean age of 55. The objective of sleep parameters were measured by wrist actigraphy over a three day period, with most participants spending around  8 hours in bed at night. However, findings showed that they only slept for around 6.5 hours.

Findings showed that better sleep efficiency was linked to a lower mortality rate, with mean survival for efficient sleepers at 68.9 months and poor sleepers at 33.2 months. Further analysis also showed a 10 percent increase in sleep efficiency that estimated hazard of subsequent mortality by 32 percent. 

"We were surprised by the magnitude of the relationship between sleep quality and overall survival even after we accounted for medical and psychological variables that typically predict survival," said lead author Oxana Palesh, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University and research director of the Stanford Cancer Survivorship, via a press release.  "Good sleep seems to have a strongly protective effect, even with advanced breast cancer."

"This study emphasizes the importance of assessing sleep quality among women with breast cancer," said American Academy of Sleep Medicine President Dr. M. Safwan Badr. "Healthy sleep is critical for physical health, quality of life and overall well-being."

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal Sleep. 

The National Cancer Institute estimates that there will be 40,000 deaths from breast cancer in the U.S. in 2014.